Pope Leo XIV, at the Epiphany Angelus, urges the world to trade inequality for fairness and war for peace through selfless giving and shared hope.
Newsroom (06/01/2026 Gaudium Press) On the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV used his noon Angelus message to issue a resolute appeal: that humanity redirect its creative power away from waging war and toward the “craft of peace.” Addressing thousands gathered in Saint Peter’s Square after celebrating Mass inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, the pontiff invited the faithful to follow the example of the Magi, who laid down their treasures before the Christ Child, offering not only gifts but themselves.
“In the gifts of the Magi,” Pope Leo reflected, “we see what each one of us can share, what we can no longer keep for ourselves but are to give to others, so that the presence of Jesus can grow in our midst.” His words marked both the conclusion of the Jubilee Year and a meditation on the enduring message of the Epiphany — the revelation of divine hope made visible in human form.
Manifestation of Hope in a Troubled World
“The word ‘epiphany’ means ‘manifestation,’” the Pope explained, “and our joy indeed comes from a Mystery that is no longer hidden.” For Pope Leo, this revelation is neither abstract nor distant. The birth of Christ, he said, is the unveiling of “true humanity,” a reminder that divine life is within reach and that communion among people cannot exist without freedom, openness, and peace.
In an age scarred by conflict and inequality, the sermon’s heart lay in his call for transformation — an inversion of priorities. “In the place of inequality, may there be fairness,” he urged. “And may the industry of war be replaced by the craft of peace.” The phrase drew audible murmurs of agreement from the faithful braving the Roman winter sun, echoing Pope Leo’s consistent vision of peace not as passive goodwill but as a deliberate, creative act — a craft to be honed through justice and generosity.
The Magi’s Gifts as a Model of Giving
Drawing on the familiar Gospel image of the three kings kneeling before the infant Jesus, the Pope expanded their symbolic offerings — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — into a moral blueprint for contemporary believers. “They may not seem useful for a baby,” he said, “but they express a desire that gives us much to reflect on.”
In recalling the widow’s two coins from the Gospel of Luke, Pope Leo emphasized total willingness to give — not material wealth, but the conversion of the heart. The journey of the Magi, like the Jubilee’s call for renewal, becomes an invitation to live out justice “founded on gratuitousness,” where what one possesses and what one is are both returned to the wider designs of God.
A Call to Build Communion
Pope Leo’s meditation also took on a social dimension. The hope Christians proclaim, he reminded, “must be grounded in reality, for Jesus came down from heaven in order to create a new story here below.” Through acts of generosity, the presence of Christ grows among people, transforming strangers and even enemies into brothers and sisters.
To be “weavers of hope,” the Pope said, means choosing encounter over estrangement, fairness over inequality, and reconciliation over resentment. “As weavers of hope, let us journey together toward the future by another road,” he proclaimed, invoking the Gospel account of the Magi’s return by a new path after meeting the Lord.
After the Angelus: Greetings and Global Unity
Following the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo extended his greetings across continents. He recognized Missionary Childhood Day, thanking children who pray for missionaries and support their peers in need. His thoughts turned eastward toward Christian communities celebrating Christmas according to the Julian calendar, to whom he wished “serenity and peace.”
Among the pilgrims in the square, he greeted representatives from rural Catholic associations, young Italians from the “Tra Noi” movement, and participants in Sicily’s traditional Epiphany procession. He also acknowledged the Polish faithful, who were marking the day with the colorful “Procession of the Magi” in Warsaw, Rome, and dozens of other cities.
As the bells of St. Peter’s tolled overhead, Pope Leo concluded with a blessing for the new year — one framed by his call for transformation. “Good wishes to all,” he said, “and Happy Feast.” His message lingered like a benediction over the square: a reminder that the first step toward peace is to craft it, one gesture, one act of faith, one shared hope at a time.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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